Testosterone Controversy Continues

The FDA announcement comes after a January 2015 report in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, which found no scientific basis to support a link between testosterone therapy and cardiovascular risk.

The authors, members of The Androgen Study Group, analyzed dozens of studies related to testosterone and cardiovascular health published between 1940 and August 2014. Of all the studies analyzed, only four reported an increase in cardiovascular risk for men on testosterone therapy, including the JAMA study noted above.

However, other studies found that testosterone therapy could actually improve cardiovascular health. For example, low testosterone was associated with atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and death from cardiovascular disease. Maintaining normal levels of testosterone could reduce cardiovascular risk factors like obesity, high blood pressure, and poor blood glucose control.

The authors could not definitively say that testosterone therapy was safe in light of cardiovascular risk. More research is needed, they explained.

Still, their review of the literature led them to this conclusion:

“In summary, we find no scientific basis for the suggestion that [testosterone] therapy increases [cardiovascular] risk. In fact, as of this date, we are unaware of any compelling evidence that [testosterone] therapy is associated with increased [cardiovascular] risk. On the contrary, the weight of evidence accumulated by researchers around the world over several decades clearly indicates that higher levels of [testosterone] are associated with amelioration of [cardiovascular] risk factors and reduced risk of mortality.” (emphasis in original text)